Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship

[ 11 ] — OPENING CEREMONY — We bring you the warmest greetings of love and peace from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the First See of the Orthodox Church. Over the years, our Church has main- tained a pre-eminent role in promoting dialogue among churches, religions and cultures for the sake of a more welcoming and compassionate world. The Church has also been highly involved in advancing human rights, as well as protecting human freedom and dignity by hosting various initiatives and interreligious and international conferences. Today, we honour the memory of the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. It was the Custodian’s wish that we, religious and political leaders, join together in dialogue for the sake of peace in the world. For this purpose, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the support of the Kingdom of Spain, and the encouragement of the Republic of Austria and the Vatican’s wisdom, founded the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID). It is KAICIID’s belief and determination that dialogue should be the way towards rapprochement, confi- dence and cooperation that drives our intentions here in the capital of Austria. May God grant King Abdullah bin Abdu- laziz Al Saud mercy, and may his legacy live on in the hearts of those whose lives he has transformed through peace. We would also like to thank His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for his humanitarian service to the world and for his commitment to promoting harmonious coexistence, mutual respect, and global peace. The establish- ment of the King Salman Centre for International Peace, in Malaysia last year, is a testimony of the Kingdom’s strong belief in the human will and capacity to make the world a more peaceful and liveable place.